Letter to the Editor for May 20, 2011

By Baker City Herald Readers May 20, 2011 04:07 pm

Writer didn’t take adequate precautions

To the editor:

I am sure I am not the only person who saw a problem with Jayson Jacoby’s articles in the May 13 Baker City Herald (“How to get stuck — and live to tell your embarrassing tale” and “Getting up close with a cornice.”) The advice not to follow an automobile GPS route off the paved road is sound. His advice to notify someone of your plan to go “off road” is good but inadequate.

My concern is that getting up close to a cornice will result in injury or death as a result of a fall or an avalanche. I am sure Jayson could walk home if he got stuck on Marble Creek Road, but maybe not if he were injured. There is no mention that Jayson went with a buddy, but this is not an activity to do solo, just as backcountry snowmobiling should not be done alone. Going into this, Jayson knew he could not make it to Marble Pass before snow would force him to stop. The trouble is, that as the road narrows with drifts of snow, it becomes difficult to turn around without getting off the road or having to back up a long way, another activity that is difficult to do without a buddy.

Here is how I see it: An ice axe, crampons and a buddy are needed for climbing in steep ice and snow. Cornices are to be avoided because of the risk of avalanche. A parking area needs to be planned before ice and snow makes it hazardous to turn around. Carrying food, blankets and extra clothing in your vehicle is important for winter travel off maintained roads in winter. A personal locating device is a good tool in hazardous areas. I really hope Jayson and his readers do not require my services as Baker County Medical Examiner.

Dr. James E. Davis

Baker City

Have we the courage to plan ahead?

To the editor:

I thought I’d walk on a May morning, soaking in the beauty of the greening trees, but having spent the night before indulging in British tragedy and comedy, I woke late to a dark sky and a dreary drizzle, with a heavy sense of guilty. I’d wasted hours of my waning years on nonsense and useless pleasure.

Demoralized and disgraced, in a room too cold for sitting up to read, I lay abed with my ear close to a radio, hoping to hear a gleam of hope in Ira Glass’ “This American Life.” This strange genius can cause me to willingly endure an hour of strenuous mind — labor on a Sunday morning, suffering weird mutterings, freakish voices and ugly music. Glass rarely entertains, he frightens, he repulses but satisfies with bitter truth.

So I came to see that our government cannot create the much-talked-about jobs in weeks, months, four years or eight, perhaps never, as I had correctly feared.

Our people are impatient, wanting happiness we do not deserve and can never have, not even for our great-great-grandchildren unless we have the decency and courage to start planning for the distant future.

Joane Martell

Baker City

‘Nunsense’ is a show not to miss

To the editor:

“Nunsense” — what a fabulous show We are so fortunate to have Eastern Oregon Regional Theater active in the community. Thanks to Lynne Burroughs, director, Kelly Brickman, music director, the five women who were the singing nuns, and everyone who was a part of this wonderful production. It was a very time-consuming effort for them all.

“Nunsense” plays again this weekend at the Iron Gate Theater in the Basche-Sage Mall. Don’t miss it!